A statement by various organisations in Rajasthan has demanded provision of absolute security to all the Muslims in the state.

All organisations of Rajasthan are shocked at the recent developments of what is happening in the State in terms of lynching of Muslims, the latest one being carried out on the 25th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition, a murder in cold blood of Mohammed Afrazul a 48 year old migrant from West Bengal in Rajsamand, Rajasthan. There is only one demand that Vasundhara Raje, should resign now. She does not deserve to hold on to the post even for a day in the context of the absolute impunity provided to these killers and their supporters. The Home Minister of Rajasthan Gulab Chand Kataria, has proved his incompetency in controlling these crimes which has left the Muslim Community even more insecure. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister need to unambiguously condemn this crime.

The latest killing of Mohammed Afrazul from West Bengal is very disturbing. The attack leading to the murder was shot by a mobile along with the confessions of the murderer Shambhu Lal Regar, appealing to the people of Mewar “…..that the people with Islamic Vichardhara are all over in black clothes outside Masjids, in public places and around, they are a threat to our cultural heritage and destroying it. Just like Maharana Pratap had decided to fight Islamic Jehad, So do we, have to eliminate the present Islamic Jehad. So I have done it, it may be good or bad, but I have done it. Because I felt that I have to do it. I am a law abiding citizen, but you die only once, so why not eliminate them and then die. Why should we be killed them. That is why I did it. 25 years ago the Babri Masjid was demolished but even that has not changed anything, So I am going to surrender tomorrow in the Rajsamand Mahadev temple. All the Bhai and Behen, the people of Mewar support me, I am surrendering in front of you. Jai Mewar, Jai Bharat, Jai Hind”. In the video where he is seen to kill the man, he is also talking of ending love jehad

Both the videos of the killing and the confession along with photos of the charred body have gone viral on social media. Although the police have arrested the murderer Shambhu Lal Regar and the nephew who had shot the video, but it is important to reach the people who motivated him to carry out this murder.

This is not the first such killing that is happening. It’s the fourth in the last nine months, showing absolute impunity to the killers of Muslims. We would also like to state that there have been many incidents where Muslims have been attacked as part of hate crimes and not been killed so the number of incidents are huge. The killings in the last nine months are as follows:

The first one being that of Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer and cattle rearer who died on the 3rd of April, after being attacked by a crowd of so called Gau Rakshaks in Behror, Alwar on the 1st of April. The killers named by him were not even arrested, instead 7 others have been arrested and are all out on bail.

The second killing happened on 16th June in the name of Swach Bharat Abhiyan of comrade Zafar Khan, the Municipality chairperson and other Safai Karmachari beat him to death in Pratapgarh town, when he was opposing their naming and shaming policy as part of making Pratapgarh open defecation free. The police has not arrested anybody, claiming that he died of a heart attack, completely protecting the municipality people.

The third killing happened on the 10th of November, 2017, in the early hours, when Umair Khan and his colleagues were transporting cows and were shot by so called Gau Rakshaks in Govindgarh Tehsil, Alwar district. The killers carried the body to a railway track 15 kms away and tried to destroy all evidence of the face and the body. Out of the seven killers only two were arrested and instead, the victims of the firing, Tahir and Javed are now behind bars.

What happened yesterday in Rajsamand on the 6th of December is the 4th killing.

Our demands are

· Clear and unambiguous condemnation of this and other hate attacks by the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister.

· CM Vasundhara Raje resign now.

· Immediate arrest of all the killers and attackers in hate crimes in Rajasthan.

· Provide absolute security to all the Muslims in the State.

· Stop this culture of hate and violence against Muslims as it will seep into every dimension of our lives and it will be difficult to stop it.

· The BJP party which is in power with 160 MLA out of 200 needs to stop giving protection to these killers.